Judge Michael Petrolle declared a mistrial in the case against Kyam Thursday because the jury could not come to a decision after a week of deliberations. The case will be retried with a new jury, Essex County Prosecutor's Office Spokesperson Kathy Carter stated Friday in an email to the Times.

Carter did not know of a date set for the new trial, but Kyam will remain in custody in the meantime, she said.

Kyam, formerly known as Raymond Perry, pleaded not guilty to seven counts including robbery, felony murder in the course of a robbery, possession of a weapon for unlawful use and receiving stolen property. The charges were in connection to the shooting death of Daniel Pritchard in February 2009 at a Claridge Sunoco on Pompton Avenue in Verona.

The recently-ended trial began April 1, with witness testimony concluding April 15. Following closing arguments by defense and prosecution attorneys, the jury began deliberating Thursday, April 24.

On Tuesday, April 29, members of the jury declared themselves "hopelessly deadlocked."

During closing arguments, Jerome Kearns, a co-attorney defending Kyam, dubbed a key witness in the prosecution's case as a liar.

Kearns described David Fate, Kyam's cousin, as the prosecution's only direct evidence linking Kyam to the murder.

Fate previously pleaded guilty to some of the robbery counts for a jail sentence that could range from 10 to 28 years.

Kearns told the jury they should consider the hundreds of years of prison time Fate faced for the crimes he was accused of before he made a deal with prosecutors, as previously reported in the Times.

Assistant Prosecutor Erica Liu, meanwhile, insisted that Fate spoke truthfully and that any inconsistencies mentioned by the defense was "nitpicking."

Kyam faced a potential life sentence if convicted.

Public Defender John McMahon, who represented Kyam in the case, was not immediately available for comment.

Tariq Kyam will reappear in Newark Superior Court following a mistrial in the case of a 2009 shooting death in Verona, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Judge Michael Petrolle declared a mistrial in the case against Kyam Thursday because the jury could not come to a decision after a week of deliberations. The case will be retried with a new jury, Essex County Prosecutor's Office Spokesperson Kathy Carter stated Friday in an email to the Times.

Carter did not know of a date set for the new trial, but Kyam will remain in custody in the meantime, she said.

Kyam, formerly known as Raymond Perry, pleaded not guilty to seven counts including robbery, felony murder in the course of a robbery, possession of a weapon for unlawful use and receiving stolen property. The charges were in connection to the shooting death of Daniel Pritchard in February 2009 at a Claridge Sunoco on Pompton Avenue in Verona.

The recently-ended trial began April 1, with witness testimony concluding April 15. Following closing arguments by defense and prosecution attorneys, the jury began deliberating Thursday, April 24.

On Tuesday, April 29, members of the jury declared themselves "hopelessly deadlocked."

During closing arguments, Jerome Kearns, a co-attorney defending Kyam, dubbed a key witness in the prosecution's case as a liar.

Kearns described David Fate, Kyam's cousin, as the prosecution's only direct evidence linking Kyam to the murder.

Fate previously pleaded guilty to some of the robbery counts for a jail sentence that could range from 10 to 28 years.

Kearns told the jury they should consider the hundreds of years of prison time Fate faced for the crimes he was accused of before he made a deal with prosecutors, as previously reported in the Times.

Assistant Prosecutor Erica Liu, meanwhile, insisted that Fate spoke truthfully and that any inconsistencies mentioned by the defense was "nitpicking."

Kyam faced a potential life sentence if convicted.

Public Defender John McMahon, who represented Kyam in the case, was not immediately available for comment.